In your 60s, 70s, and beyond, arthritis and degenerative spinal disc disease become more common and can become a significant source of pain. Again, medications and holistic treatments such as acupuncture and yoga can be very helpful.

Broken bones from falls become a greater concern, as does pain associated with diseases such as cancer. With serious medical conditions, sometimes pain isn’t prioritized because the focus is on the disease. That’s a mistake. If pain stays too long in a cancer patient, it by itself can become a major aspect of the disease. Not addressing pain also hampers quality of life.

The fix: Make pain care a priority.

Pain that keeps you awake at night and impacts social and family life often causes a patient’s condition to worsen quickly, which is why it must receive its own treatment so it doesn’t take over your life.